Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue. (Eugene O'Neil)

July 25, 2013

By Alex DanielsThis article was published Thursday, July 25, at 5:25 a.m. in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette

WASHINGTON - More than 300 evangelical leaders, including
two pastors from Arkansas, pressed lawmakers Wednesday on Capitol Hill
to pass immigration legislation based on what they said were the tenets
of Christianity.

Two members of the clergy from Little Rock, Wendell Griffen of New
Millennium Church and Mark DeYmaz of Mosaic Church, joined the group
Evangelical Immigration Table. Members said the group does not support
specific legislation, but will push for any immigration legislation to,
among other things, respect the “God-given dignity of every person,”
protect the unity of the immediate family, respect the rule of law and
provide a path to citizenship for those who came into the country
illegally.

Griffen and several other pastors who spoke at a news conference
Wednesday morning said aliens were vulnerable to violence and economic
hardship because they lived “shadows” and were easily preyed upon. He
said he would tell lawmakers that the Bible repeatedly commands God’s
followers to care for immigrants.

“They should treat this as if they are legislating for the people
they read about in the Scripture,” said Griffen, who also serves as a
Pulaski county circuit judge. “I want to remind them that Jesus, Abraham
and Joseph were immigrants.”

Leaders of 23 evangelical denominations and organizations, including
the Southern Baptist Convention, Assemblies of God U.S.A. and Focus on
the Family belong to the group.

After the news conference, DeYmaz began a morning worship service at
the Church of the Reformation, two blocks from the Capitol, with a
prayer.

“We ask divine favor as we meet with congressional leaders, that
their hearts and ears will bend and their minds will incline toward
favorable ends so that millions of your children currently living in the
shadows can walk freely and joyfully in this great nation,” he prayed.

Later in the day, DeYmaz met with Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, who
was the 2012 Republican vice-presidential nominee and staff members for
several other congressmen, including House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.
Griffen also met with Cantor’s staff and attended a meeting with Rep.
Bob Goodlatte, a Virginia Republican and chairman of the House Judiciary
Committee.

Members of the evangelical group weren’t the only ones calling on Scripture.

Arkansas’ Sen. John Boozman and Rep. Steve Womack, both Republicans,
said they wanted the immigration system to treat people with compassion.
But they stressed that they would only support changes to the
immigration system if the U.S.-Mexico border was secured. When people
enter the country illegally, they said, it is unfair to the people who
have waited in line.

“My faith reminds me often that we are to follow our laws,” Womack said.

“Scripture tells us things are to be done legally,” Boozman said. “They are supposed to be done in an orderly process.”

DeYmaz said the House’s decision to focus on border security first
and then take up smaller bills rather than attempt to pass a
comprehensive piece of legislation shouldn’t be taken as a “watering
down” of the issue. He said he was confident that House GOP leaders
would allow a thorough debate on each of the issues associated with
immigration in a succession of bills.

“It’s an informed and intentional approach,” he said.

Griffen said only a broad bill would fix the “broken” immigration system.

“By fixing the whole system, we empower that system to be a healing
and healthy force for our society,” he said. “We now have a hurtful
system.”

Griffen said evangelical leaders would encourage their congregations
to press lawmakers on immigration when Congress recesses on Aug. 2. He
emerged from his conversations on Capitol Hill hopeful that legislation
can be passed into law.

“I didn’t meet a single person who said this was a nonstarter,” Griffen said.

July 22, 2013

The day after a jury in Sanford, Fla., found George Zimmerman not guilty
in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin on February 12, 2012, USA Today’s front
page story headline asked “After verdict, can racial rift be healed?”

So, let’s ask the question again. After the verdict,
can America’s racial rift(s) be healed?

In a word: perhaps. But not unless local church pastors, planters and
denominational leaders throughout this country take seriously the need to
address systemic segregation within their own local congregations.

Stated another way, racism is ultimately a spiritual problem.
Consequently, systemic racial inequities in society cannot be righted until
they are first righted in the American Church.

That said, ask yourself: why were evangelical leaders so glaringly
absent from T.V. and cable news networks talking about the Zimmerman trial,
both prior to and after the verdict was delivered? Why were we not included as
part of panels and focus groups designed specifically to discuss the case,
issues of race, and lingering cultural divides in America? Where was our
collective voice; our faith-filled response; our invitation to become a bright
light in the public square pointing the way forward beyond tolerance to love,
beyond conversation to committed action and intentionality? Who among us was
called upon to share the stories of diverse men and women finding genuine
faith, hope, and love for one another in Christ; those now walking, working,
and worshipping God together as one in and through healthy multi-ethnic
churches?

The fact is, evangelical leaders were not sought out for such
interaction or even considered for a seat at the table. Let me explain why.

The credibility of the American Church is virtually non-existent in the
eyes of society when it comes to addressing racial rifts, systemic inequities,
or cultural divides deeply affecting this country. In this regard, our absence
from the discussion cannot be blamed on the Media. Rather, our lack of
credibility and collective irrelevance is the result of our own faults and
failures when it comes to building cross-cultural relationships, pursuing
cross-cultural competence, and promoting a spirit of inclusion within the local
church.

For far too long we have turned a blind eye to the
lack of diversity within our congregations; proudly championed homogeneity in
church planting; celebrated numeric growth and attendance more than community
revitalization and transformation; encouraged the purchase of land and built
new buildings instead of repurposing abandoned space in the community as a
physical manifestation of the power and message of redemption; refused to
empower minority leadership or to share authoritative responsibility in
otherwise all-White churches; and the list goes on.

More than this, while the American Church continues
to fawn over all things missional America remains polarized over all things
racial. And since nearly 90 percent of churches in the United States today fail
to have at least 20 percent diversity among their attending members, the
American Church not only lacks credibility when it comes to issues of race but
due to its own segregation unintentionally undermines the core of its message,
the very Gospel itself. Worse yet, this remains a fact too many among us seem
content to ignore.

Make no mistake: an increasingly diverse and
cynical society is no longer finding credible the message of God’s love for all
people as proclaimed from otherwise segregated pulpits and pews.

Legislation and education, together with the efforts of countless
individuals, groups, and agencies, have long sought to eliminate prejudice and
the disparaging consequences of institutional racism still deeply embedded
within society. Nevertheless, now is the moment to recognize that such a dream
cannot be realized apart from the establishment of healthy multi-ethnic
churches that intentionally and joyfully reflect the passion of Christ beyond
race and class distinctions. For it is not the institutions of government or of
education that have been ordained by God to this task. Rather it is the local
church, the bride of Christ—we His people.1

To this end, we must will and commit ourselves: not so much for the sake
of racial reconciliation, but more significantly for the sake of the Gospel; in
order to present a credible witness of God’s love for all people whereby
diverse men and women are reconciled to God (and consequently to one another)
through faith in Jesus Christ.

Concerning the movement of American Christianity
toward racial reconciliation in the 1990s, author Chris Rice wrote the
following profound words:

Yes, deep reconciliation will produce justice, and
new relationships between the races. Yes this will lead Christians to become a
bright light in the public square. But I have become convinced that God is not
very interested in the church healing the race problem. I believe it is more
true that God is using race to heal the church.2

For these and other reasons, the American Church
dare not overlook this moment in history; a time when racial divides are so
front and center, past and present pain so prevalent that even President Barack
Obama weighed in spontaneously this week, arguing “…that the larger discussion
of race belongs not with lawmakers in Washington but in living rooms, houses of
worship, and workplaces.”3 The time, then, is now to embrace the
biblical mandate of the multi-ethnic church and pursue it for the sake of the
Gospel.

Indeed it is Christ’s will that we become one with
believers different from ourselves in and through the local church, so that the
world would know God’s love and believe (John 17:20-23). As a by-product,
racial rifts can be healed; systemic inequities dismantled; and cultural
divides bridged. Only in so doing can Christ be lifted up in a demographically
polarized and changing society. Only in so doing can the American Church be
restored to a place of prominence in the minds and hearts of those outside its
walls.

June 27, 2013

Local Pastors Encourage Continued Bipartisan Efforts at This Historic Moment for Immigration Reform

LITTLE ROCK — Today the Senate voted 68-32 to pass broad, bipartisan immigration reform. Alongside evangelicals around the country, the Evangelical Immigration Table has called for immigration reform that respects the God-given dignity of every person, protects the unity of the immediate family, respects the rule of law, guarantees secure national borders, ensures fairness to taxpayers, and establishes an earned pathway to citizenship for those who qualify and who wish to become permanent residents.

At this historic moment for immigration reform, we applaud the bipartisan efforts of those in the Senate, including Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), who seek commonsense solutions that respect the rule of law, but also respect the God-given dignity of every person by creating an achievable pathway to earned citizenship. We understand that fixing our broken immigration system is complex. While not perfect, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 (S. 744) represents good-faith legislation that upholds our shared principles.

We appreciate the hard work and cooperation that has led to the passage of a broad bill that members of both parties can support. As the focus of the debate shifts to the House of Representatives, we will continue to speak out about the urgent need for broad, commonsense reform.

“Evangelicals across the country, and here in Arkansas, have been united in our support of comprehensive immigration reform, and in urging Washington to fix a broken immigration system. Thankfully our collective voice has been heard. The bipartisan bill passed by the Senate today is a major step toward reform that will provide hope to millions at a critical moment in our nation's history. As we've seen in the past, America is only made stronger by an immigration system that welcomes the ‘huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’ And this is precisely what we seek: a stronger, more vibrant, and compassionate America. For evangelicals, immigration reform isn’t about politics. It's about following where Scripture leads in honoring Jesus' call to love our neighbors and to care for the least among us — people often marginalized by society for one reason or another. Personally I'm thankful for the progress that we are witnessing and pray that Washington will continue to listen to the voices of faithful Americans, including millions of evangelicals, who are closely watching this debate. We will continue to encourage and expect comprehensive immigration reform from this Congress: indeed, the time is now.”

Greg Bearss, Lead Pastor, LakePointe Church, Hot Springs:

“Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God’s love for the “stranger” and for the "least of these" is revealed over and over again. Despite this biblical call to "love our neighbor" and “welcome the stranger,” our current immigration laws often harm families and destroys communities. The bipartisan legislation passed by the Senate helps create an immigration system that addresses these issues and is more reflective of biblical principles, while securing our border and bolstering our economy. I’m grateful for the progress this represents and hopeful that Congress can pass common sense immigration reform this year.”

“America is the land of opportunity. For hundreds of years, immigrants have been coming to our shores to create a better life for themselves and their families. Their contributions have grown our economy and strengthened our communities. Yet too often we have ignored the struggles of our immigrant brothers and sisters, while failing to follow the Gospel’s call to love our neighbors. I am encouraged that the Senate has passed an immigration reform bill that will provide hope and opportunity to so many of God’s children, while making our nation safer and our economy stronger.”

May 11, 2013

On behalf of my own family, and the Irby family; on behalf of this handsome man, Zack, and his most beautiful bride, Lori, it’s my honor to welcome you to this holy and joyous occasion. This morning we are gathered to celebrate love, witness commitment, and to establish a covenant in marriage between these two special people, and their God.

Two thousand years ago, the apostle John wrote, I have no greater joy than to see my children walking in truth. Today, Joe and I, together with our wives, Linda and Diane, bear witness to this statement.

Zack, Lori, you are the fruit of our prayers; you are the reward of our patience; and you are the blessing of our passion for Christ through the years. Not only do you know the truth, you are committed to walking in it. For this reason, you have chosen to marry not in an otherwise secular facility, but in this chapel; and not before human authority, but before the Lord Jesus Christ in whose name you will be united together as one. In so doing, you bear witness to the fact that the covenant of marriage was established by God, Himself, and is therefore not to be entered into lightly.

As parents, then, we are so thankful that God gave you to us, as children, for a season. Likewise, now, we are thankful God gave you to one another, as adults, to be man and woman, husband and wife, for the rest of your lives. Zack, Lori, we are very proud of you.

Let us pray …

Zack, Lori, many words have been written to define and describe marriage. For instance,

Marriage is when you agree to spend the rest of your life sleeping in a room that's too warm, beside someone who's sleeping in a room that's too cold.

Marriage is like twirling a baton, turning handsprings or eating with chopsticks. It looks easy until you try it.

Marriage is nature's way of keeping people from fighting with strangers.

But perhaps a sign in the wheelhouse of a boat owned by former Oakland Raider Quarterback, Ken Stabler, describes it best: "Get in, sit down, shut up, hang on."

More significantly, Proverbs 18:22 states that he who finds a wife finds what is good, and receives favor from the Lord. Zack, as your father, may I affirm that in Lori you have indeed found what is good. She is a most favorable gift to you, a gift from the Lord. For as you know, the DeYmaz family values are these: faith, courage and sacrifice. And in Lori, I see them all. Like your mother, she is a woman of faith and woman of prayer. By faith she has entrusted her life into God’s eternal care; and today by faith she entrusts herself to you. Lori knows her redeemer lives. More than this, Lori is a woman of great courage. From my own experience, I can tell you that it takes tremendous courage for a single mother first to give birth and then to raise a child on her own. And this Lori has done not only courageously, but gracefully. Today, then, you not only receive this woman, but her beautiful little girl, Grace, as your own. Remind yourself of this each and every time you tuck her into bed at night, and let her very name cause you to love your wife even more. Finally, Lori is a woman of proven sacrifice who has repeatedly put the needs of her child above her own. In so doing, she has waited patiently on the Lord and He has inclined his ear to hear her cry. Today, son, you are her reward.

Likewise, Lori, Proverbs 12:14 states that a wife of noble character is her husband's crown. In conveying his thought, Solomon paints the picture of a king whose crown is the symbol of his authority, yet more than that, the respect and honor due a man who bears the burdens of responsibility for any and all those under his care. Lori, today you become for Zack such a symbol and a crown. Again, as his father, I can assure you that he is worthy of your respect and honor, indeed of your hand in marriage. As you heard last night, and have found yourself, he is a humble leader and a loyal friend. I have no doubt as he has been for others he will be for you. Zack, too, has entrusted himself by faith to God and one whose time in Colorado solidified his understanding that there is a God and he, Zack, is not Him. As an athlete, a quarterback, I have seen Zack stand in the pocket without fear, endure suffering without complaint, and walk steady into the unknown, time and time again, with great courage that has made him strong. And yes, Zack, too is a man of sacrifice readily putting the needs of others above his own. The fact is, most young men will take a wife, and only a wife, in this season of their lives. My son, however, more selflessly today, takes not only your hand, but the hand of Grace, into his own. I want you to know he does so willingly. For to him, to love you is to love your daughter. And this he will do well, I have no doubt.

Now finally, as you both have seen, families are not perfect because people are not perfect. We are all human after all, filled with hurts from the past, and having hurdles of personality to overcome. Yet in Christ, we continue to find hope through perseverance and an ongoing willingness to forgive one another mindful of the mercy and grace with which we, too, have been forgiven. Remember this when you remember us in the days ahead. More than that, take everything we are, let go of everything we are not, and live better in the years ahead because of the spiritual and loving foundation we have tried our best to provide for you. Whether then because of us, or in spite of us, always remember; you are who you are because of God’s grace, and because of your family.

Zack, Lori …

Without faith it is impossible to please God;

Without courage it is impossible to walk by faith;

Without sacrifice, it is impossible to experience God’s great rewards in this life or in the one to come.

Yes, many words have been written to define and describe marriage through the years. At the end of day, marriage is perhaps more like an airplane than a rock. First and foremost, you must commit to flight. Once airborne, you will encounter sunny skies and stormy ones; there will be days when you will fly above the clouds, and others in which you’ll have to fly straight through them; indeed, at times the ride will be triumphant, and at other times, turbulent. In such moments, the plane – your marriage - will creak and groan. Keeping it airborne, then, will depend not on altitude, but entirely on attitude. If you’ll commit, then, to keep for each other a good attitude and to keep the plane in flight, you can fly forever. Only then will you know and appreciate how hard the journey has been … and how worthwhile.

March 26, 2013

In a September 2009 post entitled Latest Stats Confirm the Growing Movement! I quoted Dr. Michael O. Emerson recognizing seismic shifts in local church diversity that had taken place over the past ten years (1998-2007).

Further research from the 2010 Faith Communities Today Study shows racial diversity continuing to increase in congregations throughout the United States. As Dr. Scott Thumma points out in this recent Huffington Post article, the percentage of multiracial congregations (using the 20 percent
or more minority criteria) has nearly doubled in the past decade to 13.7
percent. More specifically, Thumma notes:

"In 2010, 12.5 percent of all Protestant Christian churches and 27.1
percent of other Christian churches (Catholic/Orthodox) were
multiracial. Multiracial Mainline Protestant churches accounted for 7.4
percent of their total, while 14.4 percent of Evangelical Protestant
congregations were multiracial."

Not surprisingly, Thumma gleans from the study (a random sample, key informant mailed/emailed to 11,077 congregations in over 120 denominations) that "intentionality is also important. The survey asked
participants whether the congregation wanted to be racially and
culturally diverse. The stronger they agreed the more multiracial they
were." The fact is, Tak(ing) Intentional Steps is the second of seven core commitments required for Building a Healthy Multi-ethnic Church.

Such reporting provides us with further hope and evidence that the Early Adopter Stage of the Multi-ethnic Church Movement is fast approaching. With this good news, may those of us engaged in catalytic efforts to advance this cause press on toward a quantitative goal of seeing 20% of churches 20% diverse by the year 2020 ... and this not for diversity's sake but for the sake of the gospel - presenting a credible witness of God's love for all people in an increasingly diverse and cynical society, so that the world may know Him and believe (John 17:20-23).

February 23, 2013

In the throes of helping to plan the 2nd National Multi-ethnic Church Conference in 2013, I read with interest the recent comments of two white evangelical leaders calling attention to the diverse nature of two different conferences of which they're aware or otherwise involved. One tweeted this description: "...an amazingly diverse line-up of speakers." The other wrote, "We MUST have the most diverse Pastor’s conference ANYWHERE."

This begs the question: What really do they mean by use of the term "diverse?" And perhaps a follow-up: How much diverse is diverse?

Maybe I'm wrong: but unless these men had in mind the varying denominations and/or networks and/or sponsors involved, attendees with or without facial hair, having green eyes or blue, etc., we can assume their use of the term diversewas meant to imply the racial/ethnic make-up (and/or the mix) of men and women speaking at the conferences to which they refer.

Since 2004, the Mosaix Global Network has been a leading voice for change in this regard; and we've modeled a commitment to empowering diverse leaders on our own regional and national conference platforms. Certainly, then, we are thrilled to recognize that evangelical leaders and conference planners are increasingly aware and embracing this commitment, as well. We look forward to the day when the empowering of diverse leaders does not have to be championed but rather is a quite natural reflection of who we are, i.e., the wonderfully diverse Body of Christ.

So how are evangelical conferences currently doing and/or progressing toward that day?

As of January 1, 2013, the United States had a total resident population of 315,544,000,

There were 155.6 million females in the United States in 2009. The number of males was 151.4 million.

The national median age was 36.8 years.

The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. It includes people who reported “White” or wrote in entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Near Easterner, Arab, or Polish." Whites constitute the majority of the U.S. population, with a total of 223,553,265 or 72.4% of the population in the 2010 United States Census. (72.4% = 63.7% "White + Not Hispanic or Latino" + 8.7% "White + Hispanic or Latino"). Despite major changes due to illegal and legal immigration since the 1960s and the higher birth-rates of nonwhites, the overall current majority of American citizens are still White.

Currently, population growth is fastest among minorities as a whole, and according to the Census Bureau's estimation for 2012, 50.4% of American children under the age of 1 belonged to minority groups.

Hispanic and Latino Americans accounted for 69% of the national population growth of 2.9 million between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006. Immigrants and their U.S.-born descendants are expected to provide most of the U.S. population gains in the decades ahead.

Today, then, if evangelical conferences sought simply to reflect the nation in terms of the speakers involved, men and women would be equally represented; at least 25% of the speakers would be non-White; and in the future (from year to year) the percentage of minority speakers would steadily increase.

In calling attention to such things, I do not at all mean to suggest that contrived quotas should govern speaker selection at evangelical conferences; nor do I in any way want to encourage "diversity policing" by well-meaning observers seeking to hold planners accountable.

Nevertheless I do wish to encourage evangelical conference planners to be even more intentional in the years ahead, and to join Mosaix in modeling and empowering (in)credibly diverse speakers on main stages and in breakout rooms throughout the United States. In so doing, I believe they will attract even more wonderfully diverse participants, grow their attendance, expand their influence, and remain relevant in the years ahead for the sake of the Gospel.

A word of caution: do not sacrifice competence or credibility simply to diversify your stage (or church for that matter). The good news is - with a plethora of highly competent and credible men and women of diverse ethnic/economic background leading out in effective ministry throughout the United States today - there is no need to do so!

At a Glance
A brief comparison of three unique evangelical conferences this spring (2013) provides general insight into where things may currently stand. By determining the number of speakers (as listed on the following conference websites), looking at white to non-white numbers, and the number of men compared to women involved, we get an idea of the progress that's been made and where still we should determine to go.

Note: Conferences are listed in calendar order. Statistics are cited as near as I can tell, and do not include worship leaders or artists. If I'm off or otherwise wrong, please let me know.

The fact is five years ago, even three years ago, such diversity may not have been so reflected in these or other evangelical conferences, generally speaking, throughout the United States. With this in mind, we should be encouraged as trends are moving in a positive direction.

What About Us?
Given unity/diversity is at the very heart and passion of our DNA, Mosaix' own progress in this regard should not be surprising:

Beyond the numbers, though, I'm even more excited about WHO are speakers are and WHAT they bring to the table in terms of competent, credible, leadership. Indeed they represent the very best of those advancing the Multi-ethnic Church Movement today!

What About You?
The fact is, like the multi-ethnic churches we seek to plant, grow or develop, "this kind comes out only through prayer and fasting." In other words, there's not another conference you can attend quite like the one we're hosting in Long Beach, CA, November 5-6, 2013. I have no doubt that if you come, you will experience the unique power and pleasure of God that dwells wherever diverse men and women will themselves to walk, work, and worship Him together as one.

January 23, 2013

The following editorial, written by Cesar Ortega, Pastor of Community Engagement at Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas, appeared on page 15 in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette published on January 23, 2013

LITTLE ROCK — I work in 72204, and in
case you don’t recognize it, that postal code describes a geographical
zone south of Interstate 630 that has the worst statistics in Little
Rock-worst crime rate, most poverty, highest rate of hunger-you name it.

But it’s where my church, the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas, is
located, and where I have served as a pastor for more than nine years. I
love 72204 despite its troubles.

The church reaches out to our community, hoping to help meet the many
needs reflected in its dire statistics. Not long ago, as I was looking
at our budget for the last fiscal year, I discovered something about our
work fighting hunger via our weekly food pantry, the Orchard, that
really struck me as significant.

Finally, some statistics that are not bleak, but actually encouraging!

Statistically, more than 20 percent of the people living in 72204, or
2,700 families, fall below the poverty line. And our pantry has served
17,574 individuals, representing 2,563 families in our ZIP Code.

It turns out that our food pantry is reaching an amazing nearly 95 percent of the people living in poverty in 72204.

And further, our budget to do this is so little, so small, that it
takes my breath away. Our entire pantry budget last year was between
$8,000 and $10,000.

Let’s call it our version of the miracle of the loaves and fishes.

Here’s how the whole thing works:

Every Tuesday morning, volunteers take a pickup and trailer to the
Arkansas Foodbank on 65th Street, a warehouse that collects food to
distribute to hunger agencies and food pantries like ours.

By choosing carefully, for a few hundred dollars we are able to fill
up a 15-foot trailer with canned goods, meat, milk and fresh produce,
much of it donated by Kroger, Target, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club and other
food suppliers in Little Rock and collected by the Foodbank’s truck
drivers, who make regular rounds of the participating stores.

The food includes imperfect fruits and vegetables, stained or dented
cans, things past their “sell by” dates, and, indeed, anything
unsuitable for retail sale. But it’s all perfectly fine to eat, and most
of it is like the food you get at a grocery store. Brand names and
everything.

The Foodbank also acquires food through the national Feeding America
network that works cooperatively with producers-a truckload of oranges
from Texas, a load of canned goods from Illinois, and so forth.
Transportation costs an average of 18 cents a pound, and that’s our
cost-what wereimburse the Foodbank-but much of the food and most of the
produce comes without any cost to us.

The Foodbank also gets food from efforts such as the Summer Cereal
Drive, holiday drives, business and school food drives, plus the results
of “gleaning” of farmers’ fields by the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance
and other sources. It all adds up.

At the Foodbank’s warehouse, workers with forklifts and pallet jacks
collect the food we’ve selected, put it on pallets, weigh it, and help
load it onto our trailer. It’s about a 15-minute drive back to the
church on Colonel Glenn Road not far from the University of Arkansas at
Little Rock.

When the trailer arrives, more volunteers unload it, sort it, and
arrange it on long tables so that people coming through a line can
select the things they will use.

After we’re set up, all the volunteers join in a prayer circle, and a
time for sharing concerns. We join hands and have a moment of blessing.

Volunteers are the key to the Orchard’s success, led by the very able
head of the pantry, Linda Miles. They’re a diverse group, young, old,
in school, retired. But all want to help.

We open the doors at 2 p.m., and our volunteers greet people coming
to the pantry, do a little paperwork so we’ll know who we’re serving,
and then help them fill their boxes with food.

We see working people, people on disability, the elderly, people out
of a job, people with crushing medical debt, people with mental illness,
people with cancer.

Sometimes we have a little health clinic and check blood pressure and
other vital signs. Once, one of the people we checked had such high
blood pressure that he needed to go to the emergency room immediately,
but he refused to leave until he had gotten a box of food for his
family. So we see many indicators that we are serving a desperate need.

And we know we are not alone. In central and southern Arkansas, 300
pantries and other hunger-relief agencies rely on the Foodbank as an
important resource to fulfill their mission. There’s probably one near
you. And the six Feeding America food banks in Arkansas supply pantries
throughout the whole state.

January 21, 2013

In an increasingly diverse society, the pursuit and acquisition of cross-cultural competence is necessary for advancing the gospel together as one through the local church; and beyond that, for us to do so as a unified, evangelical, body of believers across the country. To affirm this theologically, however, is one thing; a no-brainer. To live this out practically is quite another; easier said than done.

Along this line, my colleague of more than ten years, Dr. Harry Li, has written,

"Make no mistake about it: in a multi-ethnic church, there is a 100 percent chance that at some point you will offend someone with a different ethnic or economic background — and you won’t know how to resolve the tension. It’s inevitable. In fact, every person on our staff has at one time or another said or done something that someone else has found offensive — and it has happened with uncommon regularity! In such moments, it can be very difficult not to take a comment or action personally. Indeed, the enemy seeks to exploit our every insecurity in order to create misunderstanding, destroy trust, and undermine the credibility of the gospel, and of the church, by causing division. (Eph. 6:12)"*

Case in point? Use of terms and terminology.

Recently I became aware of an online conference entitled, "Easter Ninja." It's host and organizer, Bob Franquiz, is the founding and Senior Pastor at Calvary Fellowship in Miami, FL and founder of Outreach Ninja. According to its website, "The goal of Outreach Ninja is to help (pastors) maximize the marketing/promotional dollars you have budgeted and see (churches) reach maximum people in your community." Fact is, I'm certain I (our church) could learn a lot from
participating.

For Bob, then, a good brother and evangelical leader with whom I spoke this morning, use of the term "Ninja" is meant positively; to portray a skillful, trained, and focused (spiritual) warrior who knows how to work smart not hard for the sake of the gospel, effectively and efficiently, to reach more people and spend (waste) less money in the process. Similarly, I found a coaching network for business leaders called Ninja Coaching which emphasizes focus, skills, action, and results.

Other evangelicals with whom I've spoken, however, find the term ill-advised and/or insensitive, potentially reinforcing a wrong, negative, image of Asians as dark, shadowy, or violent. Considering the name of the conference, these are rightly asking (as am I), Can't we do better? Is there not another term or better way to promote an otherwise well-meaning agenda?

Re. the purpose of the conference, Bob is doing a good thing and means no offense; quite the opposite. Likewise, evangelicals who question the name of the conference are doing a good thing by raising awareness and encouraging more thoughtful consideration of such things among evangelicals both now and in the future:

By talking as they (we) are, greater understanding, relationships, and trust will be forged;

By talking as they (we) are, cross-cultural competence will be gained;

By talking as they (we) are, the credibility of the gospel will be enhanced.

God will be glorified.

At the end of the day, then, it is exploitation by our common spiritual enemy that we (evangelicals) must at all costs avoid if we are to present a consistent, compelling, message of God's love for all people in an otherwise cynical society. This requires of us prayer, patience, and persistence in seeking to walk, work, and worship God together as one beyond race, class, network and/or denominational distinction, etc. And it requires of us both great and purposeful, humility.

Indeed we must not allow our past-experiences, personalities, or preferences, to inform our view of one another, judge one another from a distance, or come between us. Rather we must leverage such things to build greater understanding, sensitivity, and partnership in the days ahead for the sake of the Gospel. And this we will do by being proactive in our communication with one another across ethnic and economic lines; and more than that, by building healthy cross-cultural relationships with one another in and through the local church.

It is precisely for this reason that the Apostle Paul writes to the local church at Philippi ...

"Therefore, since you receive encouragement from being united with Christ, since you receive comfort from his love, since you share commonly in the Spirit, since you have received tenderness and compassion yourselves, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." (Philippians 2:1-4)

Finally, let me make one thing clear: I am most certainly not above any one else in this regard, and continue to learn both through continuous effort and by making mistakes.

For instance, drawing evangelical attention to the Easter Ninja conference as I have done and inviting public opinion re. the name of this evangelical event is, in my view, a good way to encourage feedback from all sides of the (an) issue and learn from the discourse.

However, I was wrong to retweet several opinions on the matter that could be misconstrued as unfair generalizations, premature judgements of others from a distance, and/or divisive. Indeed, some may have taken my retweets as a tacit condemnation of those involved in the conference whether directly or indirectly. As I'm eluding, this is the furthest thing from the turth or my intention. To the degree that I may have inadvertently hurt anyone or fanned any flames of division, I apologize without reservation.

As I have often said in the twelve years I have been deeply engaged in multi-ethnic, economically diverse ministry, if any one tells you they are an expert in such matters, you can know one thing for sure: he/she is not! Indeed there are no experts, in my opinion, when it comes to fully understanding one another beyond the distinctions of race and class in the body of Christ, or even beyond it; there are only fellow travelers trying to do the right thing in pursuit of cross-cultural competence, and growing through the process.

If you are on that road, press on with me. If you are not, I invite you to come and join us.

January 18, 2013

Evidence abounds that the Multi-ethnic Church Movement has crested the half-way point of its Pioneer Stage (launched by the publication of Michael Emerson and Christian Smith's book, Divided By Faith in 2000). The
next stage, and Early-Adopter Stage, will begin when approximately 20% of
churches throughout the United States become approximately 20% diverse – which
many are striving for by the year 2020.

What are seven signs that the
Early-Adopter Stage of the Multi-ethnic Church Movement is nearing?

Consider the following ...

1. By 2007, Protestant churches were 3x more likely to have 20% diversity within their attending membership as they were in 1998; and large Protestant churches of 1,000 or more attenders were 5x more likely in this regard;

2. In August 2010, Moody published, Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church by Soong-Chan Rah, and IVP published Multicultural Ministry Handbook by David Anderson;

3. In November 2010, the Mosaix Global Network hosted the first truly National Multi-ethnic Church Conference in San Diego, CA. 400 individuals from thirty-one states and three foreign countries (Australia, Canada and Sweden) attended this historic event, which was broadcast live over the internet to an additional 471 unique viewers in ten countries outside the U.S. (Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and the United Kingdom). In my opinion, this event marks the mid-way point of the Pioneer Stage.

3. In December 2011, Leadership Network launched its first Leadership Community focused on Multi-ethnic Churches with 12 churches (including one from Canada) participating in the two-year project;

4. In August 2012, Jossey-Bass published its second book on the subject: Efrem Smith's The Post-Black and Post-White Church;

5. In April 2013, Zondervan will re-release the book Ethnic Blends under a new title, Leading a Healthy Multi-ethnic Church, with a foreword by Matt Chandler and afterword by Dr. John M. Perkins.

6. And in November 2013, Mosaix Global Network will host the 2nd National Multi-ethnic Church Conference in Long Beach, CA. To date, more than 100 tickets have already been sold, 20 sponsors lined up, and over 40 speakers signed on for the event ... all such things well outpacing where things stood at this time in 2010!

But wait, there's more ...

2013 and 2014 will also mark the years in which seminaries began offering specific D. Min. cohorts and/or courses focused on developing leaders for multi-ethnic local church ministry in the 21st century. Below I've listed six seminaries and six courses of which I am currently aware that are now scheduled for launch this year and next.

January 05, 2013

In most cases, we find it easy to pursue peace and practice love with those closest to us: our family and friends and those with whom we have things in common (race, class, or education). That’s one reason why the homogeneous unit principle is so effective in growing churches quickly. But Christ expects more of us than simply loving those who are like us! We have been commanded not only to love our own but also to love our neighbors as ourselves — as we would our own family. For as Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27).

Immediately following his words in this passage, Jesus is asked, by a man seeking to justify himself, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29). It is to this question, that Jesus responds by telling the parable of the good Samaritan.

To understand the full context and meaning of the parable, it is important to recall that Samaritans were the descendents of the Northern Kingdom of Jews conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BC. Their once-pure Jewish bloodline had been corrupted through intermarriage with the Assyrians, and their worship of Yahweh corrupted through the assimilation of pagan belief and ritual. Consequently, the Jews living in Judea at the time of Christ, the very audience to whom Jesus was speaking, hated the Samaritans.

The primary purpose of the parable, then, is to clarify just whom Christ has in mind in speaking of a neighbor. And as we study the parable closely, we learn that “my neighbor,” accordingto Christ, is not simply someone in need but someone who is not like me. More specifically, Christ teaches that a neighbor is someone we might naturally avoid, disregard, or even despise based onethnic origin. For the neighbor in the parable was a Jew, and the one who loved him as himself, like one of his own, was an otherwise despised yet good Samaritan.

This is not by coincidence.

The practical implication for the Jews listening to Jesus was that they would have to learn to love not only one another but also those outside their own culture, with genuine, sacrificial love apart from distinctions. Indeed, if a Jew wanted to fulfill the command to love his neighbor as himself — the second-greatest command, according to Matthew 22:36 – 39 — he would have to learn to lovelike the Samaritan in the parable and, more than that, to love Samaritans in obedience to Christ.